Sanding mechanism for cars.



No. 716,944. Patented Dec. 30, I902.

N. SEIBERT.

SANDING MECHANISM FOR CABS.

(Application filed May 5, 1902.\

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'No. 7l6,944. Patented Dec. 30; I902.

N. SEIBERT.

SANDING MECHANISM FOR CABS.

(Applicatiop filed May 5, 1902.)

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' llwirnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICHOLAS SEIBERT, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SANDING MECHANISM FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,944, dated December 30, 1902.1

Application filed May 5, 1902. Serial No. 105,928. N model-l To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS SEIBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented newand useful Improvements in Sanding Mechanism for Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism'for sanding tramway or other rails and in which the electric current employed for energizing the motor and propelling the car is utilized to operate the sanding appliances to cause a mechanical grating, rubbing, grinding, or other disintegration of natural or artificial stone or other gritty disintegratable mass or material into dust, grit, or sand, and then supplying such disintegrated material to the track-rails to increase the traction and prevent the wheels of the car slipping or sliding upon said rails.

My present invention contemplates the employment of a rotary motor and gearing between the driven shaft thereof and the carrier for the disintegratable block or material for operating the sanding appliances by P0:

tary action, whereby the disintegratable material is subjected to a grating, grinding, rubbing, or other abrading action to remove particles of said material and feed the detached particles to the track-rails to increase the tractile power of the wheels.

My invention accordingly consists, essentially, of the combination,with a sanding mechanism, of a rotary motor driven by the main current of electricity and so geared to the devices which support and hold the material or block to be disintegrated that the rotary movement of the motor is imparted to said devices and the surface of the disintegratable material or block is subjected to a circular abrading, grinding, or rubbing action as distinguished from a reciprocable action.

My invention also consists of the parts and the constructions and combinations of parts, which I willhereinafter describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, Figure l is a side elevation of a motor-car with parts broken away to show sander in place. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through sander, showing the motor in full. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the sanding device. Fig. 4: is a sectional detail of one end of the brick holder and support. Fig-5 is a top plan view of the friction-grating. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of an enlarged portion of Fig. 5.

Experience has long since demonstrated the fact that many lives might have been saved and the maiming of many persons obviated by the prompt application of sand or grit to the rails of tramway and other rails to increase the tractile power of the wheels on wet or slippery rails or when the car or train is un der headway upon a downgrade. The prompt application of the sand or grit by a positive and effective appliance and by means within ready access to the motorman and by power obtained from a rotary motor in electrical connection with the line conductor, either wire or rail, overhead or underground, is the object of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings for a more. detailed explanation of my invention and for a particular description of the mechanism, substantially, which I prefer to use for my purpose, O represents any Well-known type of car or other vehicle having the front or dash board 0, which may support the controller or other mechanism for enabling the motorman to control the current to the motor with which the car is usually supplied. These latter parts are not herein shown, as they form no essential part of my invention, and it will be understood that my sanding devices are capable of use with any of the well-known current-controlling devices at present used without modifying the invention or limiting its scope.

Upon the car-body and in any accessible and appropriate place I locate a box 10, of sufficient capacity to contain the sanding appliances and their actuating-motor, said box having let into its bottom a hopper 1], which also extends through the bottom of the car and has connected with it a tube 12, which leads to-a point near the rails and just in front of the wheels. WVithin the hopper is a spider 13, from the center of which rises a short vertical shaft or stud 14, which forms a bearing for the hub of a horizontal wheel 15, of the worm-gear order, and to this wheel is fixed in any well-known manner a disk 17,

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whose upper face is provided with a series of long and short radial ribs 18 19, made essentially A-shaped in cross-section and having their outer faces serving as cutting, abrading, or grinding edges for the material to be disintegrated and converted into sand or grit, which escapes through the open center of the disk and falling into the hopper 11 is con ducted to the rails by means of the tubes 12. The worm-gear 15 has also fixed to its under side a short hopper 16, which enters the upper end of the hopper 11.

Above the gear-wheel and fixed to the box 10say in the manner shown in Fig. 3 or in any desired wayis aframe or holder 21,which contains the disintegratable substance 22, which may represent a block of sandstone or analogous material having, preferably, a hole 23 centrally through it in line with the open center of the grinding or rubbing disk 17, upon the upper surfaces of the points or ribs 18 19 of which the bottom of the block 22 rests. To provide a running joint between the upper surface of the disk 17 and the under side of the frame 21 and to prevent the escape at the edges of these parts of the sand and grit which are removed from the block by the action of the disk, I provide the gear 15 with a vertical annular flange 20, which embraces the outside of the lower portion of said frame, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Within the box 10 is also located the motor for operating the sanding devices. This moter 25 is herein represented as of the rotary type, the construction of which is well known and is not herein shown in detail. It is sufficient to say that the conducting-wires 27 28 lead to opposite poles of the motor, and said motor has a driven shaft 30, to which is fixed a worm 26, which meshes with and drives the worm-gear 20, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the action of the rotary motor is to rotate the worm-gear about its vertical axis and cause the disk 17 to remove particles of the gritty substance of which the block 22 is composed, and which particles are eventually conducted to the track-rails, as before indicated.

On the front platform of the car and Within easy access to the motorman is a contactmaking device 29, of some well-known and appropriate form, having a movable. stem with a pad 30. The contact device forms part of a normally broken circuit, and when it is desired to throw the sanding devices into action to supply sand or grit to the rails to increase the traction of the wheels the motorman has only to force his knee against the pad, which is thus forced inward to establish a circuit with the current leading to the driving-motor of the car, when the rotary motor 25 is set in operation and likewise the other sanding appliances. This operation is effected without the motorrnan having to release his hands from the controller or powerlever or brake-handle, for by the simple action of pressing his knee against the pad 30 the electric connection with the sanding devices is made and is maintained as long as the pressure remains upon the pad.

The mechanism described is simple and effective in operation. It is condensed into a small compass and occupies but little space upon the car, and the speed which is given the motor 25 causes the disk 17 to quickly remove sufficient of the disintegratable material to meet the conditions for which the apparatus is primarily intended.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination with a sanding mechanism carried upon a car or other vehicle, and electrical connections with the current which propels said car, of a rotary motor included in said connections and adapted to impart circular movement to the sanding devices.

2. The combination with a disintegratable member and a support or holder therefor, of a grinding or abrading member operating in contact with the first-named member, a rotary motor connected to said grinding member and imparting rotation to the latter, electrical connections with the current which drives the car, and a circuit making and breaking device within the control of the motorman for controlling said motor.

3. A sanding mechanism including a disintegratable member; an abrading or grinding member operating in contact with the firstnamed member; and a rotary motor and connections for imparting axial movement to the abrading or grinding member.

4. In a sanding mechanism the combination with a disintegratable member, of a grindingdisk upon which said member is seated, a horizontally disposed gear wheel carrying said disk, means for rotating the gear and means for conveying the disintegrated material to the track-rails.

5. In a sanding mechanism the combination with a'disintegratable block of a grindingdisk adapted to have a circular movementin contact with the block, a worm-gear carrying said disk, a rotary motor having a driven shaft provided with a worm for engaging said worm-gear, electrical connections between the motor and the current which drives the vehicle, a circuit making and breaking device for controlling the current to the motor, and'means for delivering the disintegrated material to the track-rails.

6. In a sanding device the combination of a block of disintegratable material; a holder therefor; a grinding-disk to contact with said block and to remove particles thereof by circular action; a hopper below the disk and having a spout leading the disintegrated material to the rails; a worm-gear carrying said disk, a rotary motor having a worm to engage said gear and means within the control of the motorman for operating the motor.

7. In a sanding mechanism the combination of a block of disintegratable material; a grinding-disk having an open center and radiallydisposed ribs; a rotary motor; gearing bemy hand in presence of two subscribing wittween the motor and grinding-disk for imnesses. parting circular movement to the latter; electrical connections for controlling the motor; NICHOLAS E 5 and means for conveying the disintegrated \Vitnesses:

material to the track-rails. S. B. HINCKLEY, J12,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1 CHARLES F. SPEAR. 

